Mae Wong Dam will do more damage than good : SGWA
The Stop Global Warming Association (SGWA) yesterday warned the government against going ahead with the Mae Wong Dam project, saying it would have a serious impact on the environment.
The statement from SGWA president Srisuwan Janya also cited people’s constitutional right to conserve their environment so their livelihood and health is not endangered.
“We are ready to invoke the Constitution if the government refuses to listen,” the statement said.
Srisuwan has led several campaigns against projects deemed detrimental to the environment and people’s health. This time, her statement was released one day after the Cabinet approved a Bt13-billion budget for the construction of the Mae Wong Dam in Nakhon Sawan.
“The dam will irrigate 300,000 rai of land and contain 258 million cubic metres of water,” Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee told the Cabinet, adding that the project would be handled by the Flood and Water Management Committee. He also lamented the fact that this project had been delayed for 25 years already.
However, according to the SGWA, the National Environment Board did not find the 2003 environmental impact assessment for the dam acceptable. The association also accused the government of using last year’s flood crisis to give legitimacy to this project without admitting that the crisis was a result of its mismanagement.
“If the Mae Wong Dam is built, this country will lose 13,000 rai of abundant forestland, which is Thailand’s No 2 source of teak,” the SGWA said.
DEVASTATION MAY BENEFIT SOME
It also expressed concern that the dam project will also help some people reap great benefits from the abundance of teak in the area.
“The dam will also damage ecological diversity,” it said.
In the statement, the association also asked why the construction budget for the dam had increased by so much. Last August, a budget of Bt9.629 billion was sought for the construction, but in less than eight months the figure has jumped to Bt13 billion.
Environmentalists have long opposed the construction of Mae Wong Dam, especially since the forestland in the area is home to a variety of wildlife including elephants, tigers, banteng and gaur.
It is also located right next to Thung Yai Naresuan and Huai Kha Khaeng wildlife sanctuary, which together are on the Unesco World Heritage list.
